The staffer for DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz who posted the controversial 'Jewbag' photo on her Facebook page in 2006 is no anonymous aide -- but the daughter of Mark and Nancy Gilbert, two major Florida donors who have raised more than $500,000 for the Obama campaign.

Danielle "Dani" Gilbert, according to party sources, was tapped by Wasserman Schultz to serve as a liaison to the Jewish community, even though party officials and people close to Obama told her that more senior Democrats were already handling those responsibilities.

Wasserman Schultz has thus far refused to fire or discipline Gilbert, whose gallery of candid photos and personal commentary has since been removed from her public Facebook page, according to Democrats.

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz fired back Wednesday at Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch’s claim that Democrats would attack Mitt Romney’s Mormon faith in the fall election, saying the charge was “nonsense” and that the issue of religion was off-limits....

“That suggestion is utter nonsense. Let’s remember that President Obama has had so many things hurled at him – birth certificate questions, whether he is or is not a Christian,” Wasserman said. “For them to suggest that religion will be injected [into the election] by President Obama and the Democratic Party, I mean, I think they need to take a look inward at the accusations that their party and their supporters have hurled before they take that step.”

Well, I hope she's right about that, but of course, there will be many things the DNC won't control. It's hasn't been the RNC going after Obama over his religion, has it? And I seem to remember John McCain going out of his way to put Obama's religion far out of bounds, even declining to use the terribly juicy anti-American spoutings of Obama's pastor.

The Democratic Party’s newly appointed Jewish outreach liaison is pictured on Facebook in a series of provocative photos with her friends holding dollar bills and referring to themselves as “Jewbags” and the “Jew cash money team.”

I'm inferring that the "-bag" part refers to moneybags, rather than — to point to other meanings of "bag" —

1. an "unattractive or elderly woman," which, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, goes back to 1924 (P. Marks Plastic Age xviii. 202, "I don't... chase around with filthy bags or flunk my courses"); or...

2. "scrotum," which the OED locates back in the 1598 writing Frenche Chirurg: "The Scrotum, which we call the bagg wherin the testicles are contayned," which is the use of "-bag" in the present-day political slang term "teabagger," though I note that the 4th most-approved-of definition of "jewbag" at Urban Dictionary includes a second meaning "the action of tea-bagging a jew or someone of jewish descent."

132 comments:

"Wasserman Schultz has thus far refused to fire or discipline Gilbert, whose gallery of candid photos and personal commentary has since been removed from her public Facebook page, according to Democrats."

-- Why doesn't Politico go look at her public Facebook page to see if it has been removed? Why are they relying on Democrats saying that that has happened?

Aren't they reporters?

... Oh, I see what they did. They wrote it. Poorly.

"On Wednesday, a conservative web site reported on Gilbert's Facebook page, and reports about the caption -- clearly meant as an in-joke to a group of college students -- hit bigger outlets, including the New York Post."

-- I wonder if the Politico would go to bat for Republicans like that. I also like the use of the word "tsuris" there Politico. Very nice use of the thesaurus.

“For them to suggest that religion will be injected [into the election] by President Obama and the Democratic Party, I mean, I think they need to take a look inward at the accusations that their party and their supporters have hurled before they take that step.”

I believe that coming from the campaign that insulted McCain because he was physically incapable of typing on a normal keyboard due to injuries he received while being tortured and that routinely reminded the nation that he was old.

This "scandal" is about a joke from years ago among a group of Jewish college students that was posted on facebook? And now this posting by a Jewish college student on facebook years ago has people wondering if her Jewish mom is anti-semitic or something?

Aren't there some real actual scandals that the Republican Party can focus on like Obama's missing high school transcripts or that video of Obama hugging a black person?

This is indefensible. The daughter of very wealthy and somewhat high profile parents working as a community liaison through the DNC (so working in politics) never thought to set her facebook page to private? And the DNC, which could have investigated this upon hiring her (since it was a public page) or at least told her to make sure that her page was private since she was now in the public eye, obviously didn't. This is among the most basic stuff 20s somethings should know in pursuing a career, that and don't have an email address along the lines of ILove69ing@mail.com

Larry O'Donnell broadcast his hate-filled rant on the unofficial broadcast channel of the Democratic Party on Tuesday. DWS said on WEDNESDAY - “For them to suggest that religion will be injected [into the election] by President Obama and the Democratic Party"

She very clearly uses the words "by President Obama and the Democratic Party". See, the official campaign and party don't have to say a single word. Their proxies will do the dirty work for them and their response will be a non-response.

Ever notice how the lefties will go back decades for "prove" racism or gender animosity against conservatives, but 6 years was forever ago for a liberal, even when those liberals are still in a position of power. Again, lefties love bigotry and hate as long as it's directed at one of their preferred targets.

And I seem to remember John McCain going out of his way to put Obama's religion far out of bounds, even declining to use the terribly juicy anti-American spoutings of Obama's pastor.

Yet, it still came out. Kudos to McCain, but I believe, Obama came out with a similar statement to Wasserman's regarding keeping Mormonism out of the campaign. No doubt, though, that some yahoo will push it out there - is that the responsibility of the DNC or the campaign? No. I'm not getting your point.

"Or, we could say that her employer should have demanded her facebook password."

Why would say that? It is, frankly, irresponsible for an employer not to know some basic facts about people they offer jobs to. You do your research about a company before agreeing to work there, don't think they don't do the same about you before giving you an offer.

If you don't want them to find something, make it private. It would be nice if I could do whatever I want with no consequences, but this is the real world.

Rialby said... she very clearly uses the words "by President Obama and the Democratic Party". See, the official campaign and party don't have to say a single word. Their proxies will do the dirty work for them and their response will be a non-response.

They will however continue every day to state:

President Obama and the Democratic Party refuse to make an issue of Mr Romney's Mormonism or his magic clothes.

No Andy, what would be wrong would be an employer asking for your password so they could view a private page. Doing a background check on a potential employee, or at least notifying them that they must change their settings to private or delete the account is good business since there's no possibility of offending clients or in this case the public. I don't care about the joke, that's what it was. What is alarming to me is that she worked in politics yet kept an open profile, it's the lack of common sense on her part and the DNC's part that's bothersome. What if she had actually said something really nasty about Mormons, or Muslims, or Christians, or homosexuals, or Hispanics, or Blacks...etc, that would have been out there too. I'm bothered by the lack of basic oversight, it's like the political class lives in a different world from the rest of us.

Dems should be a little worried here. There has long been a lot of Antisemitism on the left, and an increasing level of anti-Israeli sentiment. Yet, the Jews in this country remain, at least so far, a dependable part of the Democratic party coalition.

I ask my Jewish friends why they stay with this coalition, and why they vote so reliably Democratic, when many of their views are much closer to those of the Republicans, and Republicans are far more likely to view them in a race/ethnic blind manner. Their answers inevitably comes down to what I think is a lot of very inaccurate and misleading stereotypes of the religiously conservative side of the party. Never mind that these same religious conservatives that they so distant are the biggest supporters of Israel these days, outside of the Jews, and, maybe even more than many Jews.

The level of cognitive dissonance is deafening these days, esp. with the Obama Administration disrespecting Jews and Israeli leaders, while appearing to pander to Muslims and their leaders.

My theory on why Jews remain so faithful to the Democratic Party is that, first and foremost, tribal membership and solidarity is treated as far more important than with most ethnic groups, due to well over a millennium and a half of years of persecution. Secondly, they had to work hard at getting their seat at the Democratic Party table. Third, Jews seem to tend towards being Utopians, probably more than almost any other ethnic group (possibly having something to do a different view of the hereafter).

Why though are Jews so important to the Democrats? Not really because of their votes, per se, but rather because they bring the most money to the table. Most of that Hollywood money? Much of that Wall Street money? Much of the trial lawyer money? All Jewish.

But, this election all that Jewish support and money may not be as secure as it has been in the past. We shall see.

And to be clear I'm not saying it's ok to say hateful things so long as it's kept "private." It's obviously not. My point is that this could have just as easily been something hateful as it was a stupid joke and the DNC engaged in absolutely no CYA protocols just in case.

And the DNC, which could have investigated this upon hiring her (since it was a public page)

Or potential employers shouldn't be trawling our facebook postings from six years ago to see if we engaged in any risky humor from our college days before they hire us?

Stupid is as stupid does. If you're dumb enough to put it up there (and we know Hatman is) and somebody finds it, it's your problem, not theirs.

If you've told them what a moron you are by posting compromising stuff on the 'Net for all the world to see, they can't be blamed for not wanting to hire somebody who spent his time with his head in his froth, Occpying Hotlanta.

See, the official campaign and party don't have to say a single word. Their proxies will do the dirty work for them and their response will be a non-response.

I'm probably going to say some not nice things about Mormonism during the campaign because I think Mormonism is making the world a worse place and Mittens has indicated that his religion is one factor that influences his life and his decisions and I don't believe that there is some special reason why it's ok to criticize political philosophy but not religious philosophy.

Isn't criticizing the religious philosophy that a candidate uses to guide his life and decision actually showing it respect by treating it as important and relevant? I'm not a fan of Mormonism and I would be happy to have a substantive conversation about why I think it's a bad religion and I don't think it's automatically "religious bigotry!!!!!" to talk about its possible influence on a future president.

'"Aren't there some real actual scandals that the Republican Party can focus on . . .""

Yep, we've broken 300:

http://www.correntewire.com/obama_scandals_list_at_300

These are the first ten from the list:1. Reneged on pledge to filibuster FISA Amendments Act (July 2008)2. Lobbied for $700 billion Paulson TARP bank bailout3. Pushed for no sanctions against Lieberman despite his support for John McCain4. Nominated healthcare company lobbyist Tom Daschle as Secretary of HHS5. Had neoliberal Robert Rubin as his chief economics adviser6. Then had the equally neoliberal Larry Summers assume this role7. Chose the failing upwards Timothy Geithner to head Treasury8. AIG bonuses and money to Goldman under Obama9. Doubling down in Afghanistan10. Delay and reduction of withdrawal from Iraq

Is this a joke website? I'm not going to read the whole list just to see if anything on it is a real scandal.

Sure, Hat. F&F and Solyndra come right to mind. But since your only response would be "BUSHDIDITTOOZOMGELEVENTY!?!?!" there's no use bringing them up. At least not until the adults in the room shoo the kids away.

He sat 20 years in that Temple!

Tell you what, garbage. Find some audio of any of Mitt's pastors or spiritual advisors or close friends screaming God DAMN America!, then I'll concede you have a point other than the one on your hollow head.

Regardless, Dems ace in the hole is the incompetency, ineptitude of not ready for prime time mittens. According to all the Republican operatives/establishment/hierarchy/politicians Joe Scarborough has been talking to, not one of them says Romney will defeat Obama.

Although mittens may qualify for the 'Guinness Books' re: most # of times contradicting himself in the same speech. :D

I'm not a fan of Mormonism and I would be happy to have a substantive conversation about why I think it's a bad religion and I don't think it's automatically "religious bigotry!!!!!" to talk about its possible influence on a future president.

Your point would be well-taken if we, as a society, treated each other with mutual respect. In particular, if all religions were viewed as "on limits" in the context of what you're talking about. Since they aren't, and some religions enjoy a buffer others do not, I'd say you're pining for the fjords of unicorns and fairy dust. Were that it were so, but 'taint.

Religion and what is your religious affiliation,and do you follow Jesus so dominate the Republican discussion that it is no longer injected into politics, but seems to have become another of the two or three litmus tests of the candidates.

I think the better argument is that accusing the Jewish Gilbert of being anti-semitic because of a joke on facebook is dumb.

You have a point but, Patrick says, "Oh, for God's sake, those pictures were from 6 years ago?" He has no acceptable point.

Back to your point, it wouldn't be too hard to find a born Jewish person he doesn't support Judaism. According to a Harris Poll 52% of Jews don't believe in God. I guess that means they're Jewish in name only.

"It's the kind of thing that makes you want to say that if Republicans made a misstep like this we would never hear the end of it. It would be a "macaca" moment."

I'm sure it does make you want to say that, Professor Althouse, but I'm glad you didn't, because it would have been a really stupid thing to say. A bunch of Jews making fun of themselves is not a macaca moment.

Ditzy Debbie, dumber than sack of hammers and unfortunately my congress person. Why won't the republicans find a decent candidate and fund him or her? Believe it or not, she is vulnerable to a challenger that is well funded and not insane.

"Is there a criminal activity? Perhaps not. Is there a political influence and connections? Perhaps not."-Rep. Darrell Issa, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, on the Solyndra investigation.

So what is the news here? That ethnicity drives politics and it is the most fundamental force? That's known by everyone in Washington, no matter what they say publicly.

Jewish donors are something like 50% of Democratic party's funds. Everyone in DC knows it. Why shouldn't we? Things are getting more ethnically divided, which is what you would expect from a look at history.

Tell you what, garbage. Find some audio of any of Mitt's pastors or spiritual advisors or close friends screaming God DAMN America!, then I'll concede you have a point other than the one on your hollow head.

I don't think Mormons will let just anyone in their Temples, you have to be a baptized Mormon if I'm not mistaken to observe a service, so I don't believe any audio/video tapes are available. Very secretive that way.

But, this election all that Jewish support and money may not be as secure as it has been in the past. We shall see.

Good post. Basically, the way the dynamics work out, whatever side Southern or Conservative Whites take, Jews will most definitely be on the other side - not for religious reasons, but for cultural/ethnic reasons. There was a small blip of difference with Reagen's first term, but that was due to very specific issues involving Jews in Soviet Union and Israel. The Upper West Side just doesn't like most of "Middle America".

DWS uses a ditzy style while being 100% NYC Jewish living in NYC South.

Her message is that no matter what she says, no matter how stupid, the Jewish voters and contributors will not leave her side. That'sone powerful message in politics.

Of course Romney will not be attacked for being Mormon. But Mormonism will start to be taught everywhere at a Phd level including all of its strange history and peculiar doctrines in an attempt to scare off the Evangelicals from voting at all.

You told me when a tape surfaces in a Mormon Temple, to let you know. Which brings up a great point: I'm not sure any tapes are allowed to be made of their rituals. Maybe Quayle could clear it up for us.

Of course Romney will not be attacked for being Mormon. But Mormonism will start to be taught everywhere at a Phd level including all of its strange history and peculiar doctrines in an attempt to scare off the Evangelicals from voting at all.

Yep,that will be the game. Watch for Colbert and SNL to mock Mormonism to scare off any potential moderates (i.e. "single moms"). Look for a sudden interest in the topic by PBS ... etc., etc. The game will not to be to call it bizarre directly, but to show you how strange Mormonism is. This will be done by "non-partisan" sources with "no connection" to Obama.

Yes, Meade, if a GOP person hung around someone who had made anti-Semitic remarks, their career would be over. But it is different with blacks and always will be. Jews are sophisticated and they know the score on many black leaders. But they calculate an alliance with them brings more benefits and checks the power of the "White Christian Right", which is a much bigger bogey man.

"Young people put crap up on facebook all the time. It's not news. It's not even sort of news. She's mocking herself and her friends. So what.

Aren't there some real actual scandals that the Republican Party can focus on like Obama's missing high school transcripts or that video of Obama hugging a black person?So, I guess we can expect the left's apologies to Ron Paul to be offered forthwith?

"A minor staffer, herself Jewish, posts a photo of fellow "Jewbags" to a facebook page, and is much later hired.

Should Ms. Gilbert, no longer a student, never be allowed another job?"

-- It's not her fault her boss didn't check her out. Then again, what do you expect in politics? Most hires are nepotism hires.

But, yeah. You can imagine how quickly a Republican staffer would need to brush up the ol' resume after this. I think that's a better issue: Why is politics so... incestual when it comes to hiring? You can look at plenty of campaigns and see it happening.

"But, yeah. You can imagine how quickly a Republican staffer would need to brush up the ol' resume after this. I think that's a better issue: Why is politics so... incestual when it comes to hiring? You can look at plenty of campaigns and see it happening."

SIX YEARS AGO!? A staffer did this. Not Obama. Not Wasserman-Schultz.

Is Gilbert's quote substantially different from George W. Bush saying "“This is an impressive crowd: the Have's and Have-more's. Some people call you the elites. I call you my base.”"

"Why is politics so... incestual when it comes to hiring? You can look at plenty of campaigns and see it happening."

Yes, newsflash, donate a shit load of money to a politician and you can buy access, a job, and even become a secretary or ambassador.

At least I presume that's what he means, since his posts generally center on his cruelly oppressed genitalia.

I'm also not a fan of their beliefs about the role of women in society and their religion. And their failure to properly atone for their racism against black people. And their focus on the afterlife instead of this life. And how they keep lying to Jews about how they will stop baptizing Holocaust victimes. I could go on and on. [Gay issues with the Mormon church are actually one of my lesser concerns as gay rights have clearly won and the Mormon support for Prop 8 was, while a cruel act of bigotry, also the dying gasp of a movement that is on the retreat.]

I don't like any religions. I think I've made that abundantly clear. When I say that I think Mormonism makes the world a worse place, it's because I think all organized religions make the world a worse place.

I like politicians who are atheists but there are almost none of those in America and I guess second best would be politicians who say they are religious but clearly don't believe in all the fairy tales or use it as a major guiding force in their life.

. . .it's because I think all organized religions make the world a worse place.

Let me take merely Christianity. Because of it, we have the majestic St. Matthew's Passion, as well as the musical glories of Messiah, Elijah and innumerable Requiems. We have the heartstopping beauty of the Sistine Chapel. The Pieta.

We have some of the most glorious architecture ever created by men.

We have Thomistic thought, Scholasticism, City Of God, and the works of Chesterton and C.S. Lewis.

It takes an especially special purblind man to sneeringly dismiss "organized religion" without so much as a thought to the glorious works of art and literature it has been responsible for.

And please - spare me any jejune responses about the Crusades or the Holy Inquisition or witchhunting. The Church admits her fallibility and frailty. She acknowledges her mistakes. Liberals never do.

Hoosier Daddy said..."... Andy R. said: I'm probably going to say some not nice things about Mormonism during the campaign because I think Mormonism is making the world a worse place..."Couldn't agree more what with the constant suicide bombings, beheadings, treating women like chattel and executing gays....horrible people.

Sort of nails why I can never take hatman seriously. He pontificates about his atheism and disparages religion in this country as anti-gay, anti-jew and so on. All while safely cocooned in a judeo-christian society that allows him to say it with impunity. The jackass is a complete naif.

If he was a serious person holding the views he does and assigning them the importance he does he'd resisting the people who'd stone him to death for holding them, much less for his sexual identity. These days he could do it from the service openly. At least he'd adjust the priorities of which groups deserve his disdain.

Instead, anything and everything that might possibly illuminate such a muddled thinker, or even give one pause, he calls a joke. hatman speaks his version of truth to power from the utterly safe soapbox of OWS and thinks himself both worldly and edgy.

If you read this, hatman, here's a cluebat. Clean up your facebook page now. Because if it comes back and bites you, they won't give a shit about your outrage that someone might hold you accountable for what you say.

I'd say that the 'jewbag' pictures (should we call it the j-b word?) are as sincere as the pictures of Mitt Romney and classmates with money stuffed in their clothes.Silly, juvenile, and ultimately, harmless.

Saint Croix said... Young people put crap up on facebook all the time. It's not news. It's not even sort of news. She's mocking herself and her friends. So what. 4/6/12 10:28 AM

I would immagine it's because she's the DNC's representative to Jewish people in the US. I mean, OK she's young, but she's the person the Democrat Party picked to run their outreach to Jews. And she's using anti-Semitic slurs. Think about it.

Bruce Hayden - "Why though are Jews so important to the Democrats? Not really because of their votes, per se, but rather because they bring the most money to the table. Most of that Hollywood money? Much of that Wall Street money? Much of the trial lawyer money? All Jewish."

Watch it, Bruce!Uncomfortable truths~

Money=CloutThe most influential Dems are the ones positioned to be bagman to the moneybags through proximity or direct constituent services. Jewish moneybags, some gentileones. DWS, Schumer, Nadler, Silverman, Reid, Boxer, Feinstein, Pelosi, Waxman - power based on representation of centers of wealth...Reid and Pelosi are not Jewish, but positioned to be able to call wealthy Jews and a few wealthy non-Jews and fill Democrat coffers up in minutes. (SF and Vegas are also wealth centers).

Add that the Jewish clout is not just forking the money over to liberal Dems to promote socialist and progressive ideals - but also from control of levers of power in using unions, academia, mass media to influence the schwartzes and the proles.

So we're counting the Pieta as a plus for Christianity but we can't consider the Inquistion as a negative?

Infer what you want, Hat. I never said you couldn't consider it a negative. What I said was that the Church admits her mistakes.

Are you even trying to make sense?

I was trying to keep you from beclowning yourself with the inanity of "THECHURCHKILLEDMILLIONSINTHENAMEOFGODEVILEVILEVIL!" which is the usual response by such as you. As well, if you hate the Mormons because they haven't "properly atoned" for their "racism," one wonders why on earth you support the party of slavery, lynching and the Klan, but it appears history is not your strong suit.

I was also presuming there was something worth addressing under your silly hat. I won't make that mistake again.